Gensanchi - Place of Origin
by Hakumei-chan
Summary: Minato closed his eyes, took a deep breath and took a step forward into the continent that is familiar and not so familiar at the same time. 'You may have forgotten about home, but home will never forget you.' (Formerly For Someone Important:Rewrite)
1. Prologue

Summary: Minato closed his eyes, took a deep breath and took a step forward into the continent that is familiar and not so familiar at the same time. 'You may have forgotten about home, but home will never forget you.' (Formerly 'For Someone Important - Rewrite')

**Gensanchi - Place of Origin**

Prologue: The New Beginning

_'Naruto…it's a wonderful name.' _He could hear the footsteps approaching him. It wasn't long until he could sense the owner of the voice standing right behind him with one hand resting on his left shoulder. He knows he could trust the stranger but he still doesn't know who the stranger is, much less see her face. Her presence though, it felt right. He feels at peace whenever she's near.

But he still doesn't know who she is.

_'Turn around,'_ the blond said to himself but his body refuses to obey. _'Turn around and you'll finally see her. Turn around. Why can't I turn?'_

_**'Minato! Snap out of it!'**_ The average height teen blinked before duck rolling away from an incoming claw.

"Ah, sorry Byakko!" Minato apologized. "I kind of dozed off for a moment." A faint outline of a fox appeared next to Minato as the teen remain focused at the hollow.

_**'I have no intention of dying this soon and I will be damned if you do!'**_ cried the fox. Minato only laughed sheepishly. It was his partner's way of saying he cares.

"Like that's going to happen," Minato said with a playful singsong voice. The fox snarled. It has been less than a year since the blond teen entered the Shinigami Academy and broke all the records of previous geniuses.

The one record he couldn't break was releasing his shikai. That happened three years after he graduated.

Calling his partner took the longest out of all his other studies but results were astonishing. Sure there is a small downside, but nothing Minato can handle.

If Byakko wasn't a bastard, Minato would pet his fox zanpakuto more often. It's a great stress reliever for the fox.

_**'I heard that!'**_ Byakko snaps.

"Sorry, sorry," Minato apologized. "Let's take a break after taking this one out."

_**'Just finish this already.'**_ Byakko ordered. _**'You're lagging it.'**_

"All right, all right," Minato nodded as the Hollow charged.

Within moments, the teen walked away from a disintegrating Hollow and towards the center of the park.

/-/

"It must be nice to be with people and friends you love," Minato said as he watches the living play in the park. He understood the price as being a Shinigami, but it didn't stop the dull pain aching in his heart.

_**'Why do you care about human interaction?'**_ a voice called from the back of his mind.

"Because it looks interesting," Minato replied. "They look so happy interacting."

_**'Happiness is an illusion,'**_ Byakko said. _**'It'll only bring you hurt and pain in the end.'**_

"And you're so depressing, Byakko," Minato pointed out dully. "Besides me, I wonder who would take you in as a partner."

_**'I'm only accepting you as my partner because you're the only who can contain my power. Also, I am destruction incarnate! Happiness means nothing to me,'**_ Byakko roared.

"You sound more cocky and pig-headed than destructive," Minato mused. An invisible tail smack on the back of his head was his response. "What? It's true! That really hurts…" Minato glared at the fox while nursing his injured head.

_**'I intended to inflict pain,'**_ Byakko growled.

"For being the legendary Nine-Tails fox, you sure act childish when it's just us," Minato teased.

_Destruction everywhere. Everything is being destroyed. Red tails were flying everywhere. Screams…so many screams…._

_**'Brat!'**_ Byakko roared and Minato almost fell off of the tree branch. _**'The hell is wrong with you today?'**_

"I'm fine," Minato reassured. "I haven't been sleeping lately."

_**'Like hell I believe that.'**_ Byakko shot back.

"I'm sorry…?" Minato didn't know what to say to calm his partner.

_**'…You're going to Unohana-taicho for sleeping pills after this or I'll bite you,'**_ Byakko threatened.

"Okay, okay," Minato waved. "Just…stop bugging me about it already."

_**'You better.'**_

There are a few things Minato never told Byakko, when he sleeps, he could hear that voice again, but he still couldn't see her face.

_'Naruto…it's a wonderful name…'_

Not knowing her face is maddening and Minato wonders if he ever will.

/-/

Death is not an end of one's story.  
>It is a start of another.<p> 


	2. The Flow of Time

_Time won't stop for your sake,  
>You can only follow the path it flows,<br>Running and running,  
>Don't ever look back,<br>Or you'll be swept away by the never ending current._

Chapter 01 – The Flow of Time

(14 years later)

_Even after all these years, his dreams are maddening him to no end. The people in his mind are still faceless strangers. _

'_Writing this story…it's all been a waste of time.'_

_Story? What story? Minato wanted to ask the faceless man something but his voice won't come out. There is a book in his hand but all the words have been smeared. The teen struggled to budge from the seat but his body felt heavy, like lead. He could only continue to look at the faceless man as footsteps approach him from behind._

_It was that woman again…_

_He swears he could feel that woman smiling. A smile of pure bliss. _

'_Naruto…it's a wonderful-'_

"Namikaze-taicho!" Hinamori Momo shouted and surprising Minato from his slumber. It took him a second to remember he's still at his office and the amount of paperwork he has left to do.

"Hinamori-san!" Minato blinked and regain his composure. For the record, Minato was in the fifth division for less than a month (He transferred to the eight division a week after he dyed all the seated subordinates' uniform with neon colors, even Aizen's. To this day, nobody has figured out how he managed that feat much to the teen's delight and nobody could connect him to the prank), so he's be calling Momo 'Hinamori-san' or 'Hinamori-fukutaicho' out of habit. "How long was I out this time?"

"You worked late last night and fell asleep on the papers," Momo replied. "I really don't think we can submit that paper anymore…" She wasn't kidding. Apparently Minato ripped it in his sleep.

"I can redo this later," Minato replied and yawned.

It's been a little over half a year since Aizen's defeat. Gin Ichimaru and Tousen Kaname died, Aizen is locked away at the lowest level of the dungeon, and Kurosaki Ichigo is back in the living world living his normal human life without his Shinigami powers. He has never met the teen in person but the stories of his deeds are legendary. It was a shame he never met Ichigo face to face, it's nice to see somebody about his age (Technically, Minato is still the older soul, but who knows. Minato isn't sure exactly how old he was exactly when he died).

"You finished all of this in one night?" Momo asked and pointed at the towering pile beside Minato.

"More or less," Minato said. "I can get a lot done if I'm determined enough or I have an incentive to make me work faster. Too bad I'm losing my brain cells at the same time." Momo laughed in response.

Minato was glad his lieutenant was laughing more. To think she was depressed three months ago.

"Don't ever change, Minato-taicho."

The division was down moral wise and it took Minato weeks for the people to start moving on. The atmosphere isn't as gloomy as it used to be and Minato was proud at the accomplishment. Momo's eyes aren't as dull when he first saw them and her smiles weren't as forced as before.

She probably knows he's sending Unohana-taicho weekly psychological reports behind her back but neither one of them ever mention them. It's probably better if it stays that way too. Their relationship is still fragile but they're doing their best maintaining it.

"Next week, I'll be going on a long-term mission in the Shinobi Continent," Minato announced. He saw Momo tensed a bit and didn't blame her. He knows for a fact that Momo didn't like going to the Shinobi Continent. The thought of children being trained as killers sadden and angered her at the same time. His vice-captain is just too kind, and her kindness has dragged her into dangerous situations many times. No wonder Aizen manipulated her easily.

"Really?" Minato could hear the wavering in her voice.

The Shinobi Continent is a pocket dimensional world that existed for quite some time. Only captains and vice-captains (along with some high-level subordinates) know about its existence. Minato would have known about the world soon but with his tendency to transfer from one division to another demoted him to a lower ranking subordinate. He could have made vice-captaincy years ago but decided against it.

Minato has been fascinated of the world since he first heard of it. Living humans who can manipulate chakra to do astonishing things (he didn't count reanimating the dead or immortality as fascinating though. To him, it is a downright abomination).

"I was planning on telling you this tomorrow but I might as well tell you now before I forget," Minato said and pulled out a folder from his desk drawer. "Several captains, Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa are heading there as well."

"No vice-captains?" Momo asked.

"Nope." Minato replied. "Ikkaku and Yumichika are coming along because Zaraki-taicho didn't want to go. Something about it being a 'pain in the ass.'" Minato shrugged. "I guess its better that way. The more captains and vice-captains home, the faster we can recover from the last battle. It makes me wonder how insightful Zaraki really is."

"I wish you good luck and success on your first mission as a captain," Momo smiled.

"Thank you," Minato nodded. "Oh, and I'm giving you today off." That caught Momo off guard.

"I've rested long enough, Namikaze-taicho," Momo insisted. "And you need the rest more than I do."

"I'm giving you today off to see Hitsugaya-taicho," Minato said. "He's also one of the captains heading to the Shinobi Continent for recon and establishing safe houses all over the continent to suit the parameters of the mission. He should be leaving in a few hours or so. Also, I think he would like to see you before he goes." It took a moment for Momo to finally react.

"T-Thank you!" Momo said and bow.

"There's no need to bow," Minato chuckled sheepishly. "You can just go and see your childhood friend. Drag him out of his stuffy office and make sure he gets a chance to relax." With another bows again and Momo left using via shunpo.

'_**Didn't you just tell her not to bow?**_' Byakko said through their link after she left.

"Old habits die hard," Minato replied. "Besides, I needed her to stay away from the office until I'm done with the mission report. After all, nobody but Yamamoto-soutaicho, the captains, Madarame and Yumichika are the only ones who can know about this. "

'_**What a sneaky bastard you are. I thought you didn't want to manipulate her after what Aizen did to her,'**_ Byakko asked.

"I'm not manipulating her" Minato frowned. "I really want her to have some time with Toushiro before we go."

'_**I still don't understand why you cling onto those human emotions'**_ Byakko growled.

"Again? And you're the most pig-headed zanpakuto I've ever met," Minato shot back.

'_**What was that?'**_ Byakko demanded.

"Nothing. Nothing. If you want to know the real reason…I don't think Hinamori would like to know that our main mission is to kidnap some really high power people," Minato opened the folder and gave a picture to Byakko to see. "Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure."

'_Naruto…it's a wonderful name.'_

Minato had to suppress his urge to flinch and pinch the bridge of his nose. Fourteen years later and still that voice haunts him like a broken record.

'_**Brat looks just like you. Long lost family member?' **_Byakko joked and Minato noticed the discomfort but didn't say anything as the fox slipped back into the darkness of Minato's mind.

Byakko knows something; that Minato can gather but he decided it would be best to leave the fox alone until he's ready to talk. One thing Minato's is respectful for is other people's privacy, even Byakko's. Minato continue to look at the picture blankly and repeated the phrase in his mind again.

"I knew you in my past life, didn't I?" Minato asked as if the photo was alive. The picture didn't respond. Minato scoffed, of course the picture wouldn't respond. It's just a silly picture.

He's going insane and it's all the voice's fault. "Sometimes…I wish I was just a normal shinigami, with a normal zanpakuto, and I couldn't hear any voices other than my partner."

He sensed his third seat subordinate approaching and waited for the man's knock.

"Come in," Minato called. The man slid the door open and, entered the office and bowed. "What's going on, Jiri?"

"Namikaze-taicho." Jiri began. "Yamamoto-soutaicho has summoned you to his office." Minato blinked.

"I don't recall seeing a meeting on today's schedule," Minato said with confusion but got out of his seat anyways. "Thank you, Jiri-san." The man gave Minato a quick bow and left the office as Minato straightened his clothes. "I should really make that ban rule for bowing…"

**'**_**Can I choose the punishment?'**_ Byakko asked hopefully.

"And scare everyone out of this division? No," Minato replied.

That response irritated Byakko for the rest of the day.

/-/

"_Shinobi Continent?" Minato repeated. In the captain's manual he received the moment he was promoted, it did mention of a continent that exists in a pocket dimension. Only captains and vice-captains know of the place. He could have become a vice-captain once, but he transferred out of that division before that happened. Since he was never promoted, he never heard anything about such a continent until now. Maybe he'll actually have an opponent that can par with him. With that in mind, he turned his attention back to the old captain. Good thing Yamamoto-taicho didn't notice him drifting off._

_Yamamoto-soutaicho nodded. _

"_The scales of the living and dead have been disturbed in that land," Yamamoto-soutaicho said. "We have identified several souls who have reached a state of temporal immortality and they are causing an increase of Hollows. Already Arrancars have been spotted in several areas."_

"_Sounds dangerous," Minato mused, "But this information should be shared with all the other members in the group, why am I the only one here?"_

"_I am here regarding of your past memories," Yamamoto replied. Minato blinked. He was not expecting that being the answer._

"_My memories?" Minato repeated. "I don't remember anything from before, soutaicho." _

"_I believe you'll remember your past life once you arrive to the continent," Yamamoto said. _

"_But that would mean I'm from-"_

"_Yes, you originated from the Shinobi Continent." Yamamoto interrupted._

_Minato blinked. "But I thought – the manual said…shouldn't I be reincarnated by now?" He shifted his body weight, he was ready to bolt if needed, but he had every doubt he'll make it far. "Or executed?"_

"_Let's just say I owe an old friend a big favor," the old captain replied. Minato was deftly curious what kind of favor the captain owed and why him. Despite of his curiosity, Minato refrained himself from asking. "As part of the favor, you are to return home should an opportunity arise the moment you reach captaincy or vice-captaincy." _

'Oh…I should have accepted that vice-captain spot several years back,'_ Minato thought. _

"_Oh well, it was my loss then. So…you're letting me back into my homeland is because of a favor. Also, studies have been shown in the past that people with amnesia can remember parts and possible their entire past if they're in a place they're familiar with. So I'm guess you're gonna gamble with the possibility there will be a chance I will or will not remember at all." _

"_I am more worried which side you would take once you retained your memories." Yamamoto said._

_Minato made no hesitation in replying back to the soutaicho, and the older captain could see the sincerity and determination in the other's eyes. _

"_I am no longer a part of the living anymore, soutaicho," Minato replied. "When I became a Shinigami fifteen years ago and accepted captaincy three months ago, I will follow Gotei Juusantai until the day I die. My loyalties lies with you, Yamamoto-soutaicho. I'm just simply Namikaze Minato, the current goban tai taicho and wielder of Byakko, the white Kyuubi." Minato had to refrain himself from flinching at the elder captain's gaze. It was as if the elder was trying to glimpse into his soul and Minato couldn't help but be on the edge. _

_"Prepare yourself, Namikaze-taicho and I wish you luck on your first mission back home." _

"_Hai, soutaicho," Minato said. "And thank you." _

_(Flashback end)_

/-/

(A week later…)

"So," Minato muttered as he stare down at the little fuzz ball in his hands. "What did I get myself into this time?" The little fuzz ball barked and licked Minato's hand.

A fox. Of all the animals in the forest, it just had to be a fox.

Then again, he has a fox spirit as his zanpakuto and he's known as the fox magnet back home. The fifth division became infested with foxes the moment Minato made captaincy. His division didn't mind them much except when said foxes leave a surprise for his division members to find.

'_Damn you Byakko,'_ Minato cursed.

Recapping a bit of the past, it's been over several hours since he crossed over to the continent and everybody departed to head for their assigned village. Minato's village was the closest so he didn't mind the walk. He kind of regretted it half an hour later when he crossed paths with the baby fox and the little fuzz ball has been following him since.

'_**How cute, it thinks you're her daddy,'**_ Byakko sneered.

"Eh? No way!" Minato cried. The baby fox continues to whine and eventually began pulling on Minato's right sleeve for attention. "All right! All right!" Minato gave in and flick the baby fox's right ear. "But you know, I can't take care of you forever. Toushiro will kill me when he finds out I got myself a pet and I'm pretty sure you know I'm dead."

The baby fox seem to pay no heed to the dead part much to the blond's annoyance. Animals are the most sensitive when it comes to the supernatural. Most of them tend to run away the moment they sense a shinigami, but this little kit did quite the opposite. Again, Minato blamed Byakko. "Hey…are you an orphan? Where's your mama?" Minato asked the fox, which was kind of ridiculous but the fox replied with a sad whine. That heartbroken look made Minato extremely guilty.

"Looks like we do have something in common, little one," Minato replied. "Looks like you're coming with me no matter what I say, huh?"

The baby fox yipped happily.

'_**Pfft. You're too soft,**_' Byakko snorted.

"I guess I am," Minato smiled. "But I know you healed some of my major injuries before in the past so I know you're a closet softie."

'_**Am not**__**,**_' Byakko huffed as Minato laughed.

"Then go back to sleep," Minato said and got a bite from the fox. "Ow! Hey, that hurts!" The fox barked in response. "I guess I should really give you a name," Minato said to red kit and thought long and hard for a moment. "Do you like Kushina? Your red fur seems to remind me of that name."

Kushina seem to love that name, the little kit wouldn't stop wagging her tail and yipped in response.

"Kushina it is," Minato replied and pulled out some dry jerky from his pouch. "I should feed you now, so please don't bite me." His cell phone rang and Kushina jumped out of Minato's hands out of fright. "Sorry Kushina!" Minato apologized as he pulled out of his black sleek cell phone. "Hitsugaya-taicho? Did you find the Rokubi already?"

'_We're observing Utakata from a distance as we speak,'_ Toushiro voice rang. Byakuya Kuchiki and Toushiro were assigned to capture the Rokubi's jailor, Utakata. Minato could already see Toushiro doing most of the work himself._ 'What is your position as of now?'_

"I'm standing about twenty feet away Konoha's detection barrier," Minato replied. "If I pass through it now, they'll know my exact location. Border patrol hasn't found me yet and this gigai is really uncomfortable."

The 'instant gigai pill,' or so Urahara Kisuke named it, the exiled scientist managed to create a pill version of the artificial bodies. They form once a shinigami swallows them and a gigai will form around the shinigami, thus creating a body for them to interact with the living. Not only that, the shinigami could imagine what kind of outfit they want to wear and they will appear instantly, which is pretty awesome in the opinion of many. Another use thing about them is that shinigamis can choose to have their blades materialize with them and allow higher-level shinigamis to have access to their abilities. Really useful and perfect for light traveling; captains were authorized in carrying them a little over a month ago.

'_Get over it,'_ Toushiro replied.

Kushina yipped; causing the blond to panic and prayed Toushiro didn't hear that. Sadly, nothing can seem to escape Toushiro's sharp ears.

'_What was that?_' Toushiro asked.

"Oh, just the wild life around me," Minato replied. "You know how foxes are when I'm around…" He wasn't exactly lying and luckily for him, Toushiro bought it.

'_Just make sure your cover isn't blown,_' Toushiro ordered. _'I will text you when we receive confirmation the third group has confirmation of the Nibi's and Hachibi's jailors. It's better if you just wear your cloak now.'_

"I was planning on doing that now." Minato said hastily. "Bye!" Minato disconnected before Toushiro could say anything else and turned to Kushina. "Seriously, if I'm gonna keep you; you have to be quiet when I'm talking to the others." Kushina yipped excitedly while Minato sighed.

"You're an excitable kit, aren't you?" Minato resisted the urge to bang his head against the tree and opted to pull out the white cloak from his dimensional pouch. He mentally thanked Urahara's latest invention for it gave him plenty of room to store the necessities for long term missions. With one fluid motion, he adjusted the cloak over his body and the hood to cover his face. The shadow of the hood manages to cover his entire face and will help prevent identification. "All right, time go to work."

/-/


	3. Interlude 01  Happy Birthday

Interlude 01: Happy Birthday

October 10 is an important day for some reason for Minato, it has always been and it will always be.

However, he doesn't even know why it's an important date for him. Something was nagging in the back of his mind but he couldn't tell what. Most of the time he was able to ignore it, but the times he can't ignore it, it drives him a bit batty.

Unfortunately for everybody, when Minato gets a bit batty, he starts playing pranks on fellow colleagues.

Byakko wouldn't talk to him either on that day. In fact, the fox wouldn't talk to him for a week. Minato's mindscape is a vast forest and even he can get lost in the vast greenery. He couldn't even activate his shikai while Byakko's gone. Between the days from October 7th till October 14th, his shikai is dormant.

He doesn't cry. Even though his heart feels like it's about to explode, the tears never fall and that's the only upside out of everything.

After years of practice, he managed to cover up the pain with a smile, and requested for a week long absence.

"Byakko?" Minato called and received no response in return. The boy sighed in return. What in the world is his fox doing? "If you can hear me, Byakko, at least tell me what's wrong."

No reply. Figures his ever so violent zanpakuto wouldn't answer.

After several minutes, Minato gave up and submitted his forms for his yearly vacation. Sooner or later somebody is going to find out about his unique situation. Until then, he'll continue on using his vacation days until he figure out a better solution to his situation.

/-/

"Do you accept this, Hitsugaya-taicho?" Kiyone of the thirteenth division asked.

"I will accept the duty," Hitsugaya replied. "Tell Ukitake-taicho I'm leaving as soon as the barrier drops and he doesn't have to see me off." Kiyone instantly vanished as she shunpo back to the thirteenth division. Hitsugaya Toushiro blinked, not expecting this request. Apparently Ukitake has fallen ill again and the juusanban tai taicho has requested for him to take his duty on going to the Shinobi Continent to send the plus souls to the afterlife and take care any hollows before he could dumped a pile of gifts to the young genius. It's only been three years since Toushiro was last there.

Three years since he sent Minato to Soul Society.

The teen (who was once a man) no longer remembers his past, but from small tell-tale signs, there are still echoes left in the teen's mind (if hitting face-first against the wall isn't a sign, the he didn't know what is).

_"Kanashimi nante hakidashite…"_ Minato half-hummed and half-sang as he made his way down the road.

Toushiro observed the teen from a distance and frowned at the off tune. Every year near Naruto's birthday, the blond use his absent days yearly to hide his inability to use shikai.

'_**You should go and talk to him,'**_ Hyourinmaru said.

'_I rather observe from a distance,' _Toushiro replied.

'_**You mean stalking,'**_ Hyourinmaru chuckled.

'_I'm observing,'_ Toushiro insisted.

Minato paused and turned around to see the youngest captain in Seireitei looking at him.

"Good afternoon, Hitsugaya-taicho," Minato greeted with a bow. Toushiro acknowledge him with a nod. Minato became a rising shinigami in the past three years. He finished the academy in less than a year and became the third seat of the ninth division in less than two years, and mastered the shikai at the same time. The teen's bright smile could outmatch Aizen's smile and his reputation as a ramen-fanatic is well known throughout Soul Society.

"How are you fairing with the members in the tenth division?" Toushiro asked.

"Oh, I'm doing great!" Minato replied. "Everybody there is nice."

With the amount of sincerity and excitement in his voice, Toushiro would have believed the teen with no questions asked. However, the older genius knows better.

"Why did you become a shinigami?" Toushiro asked. Minato just stare at Toushiro for a moment, surprised a captain just asked him that question (hell, Minato isn't a ranked shinigami yet).

"Because I couldn't control my reiryoku and my reiatsu was hurting the people around me," Minato replied truthfully.

"Is that all?" Toushiro asked.

"For now, it is," Minato replied. "Maybe I'll find out the reason why later on."

"I wish you luck in finding the answers you seek," Toushiro said. Minato simply smiles back with amusement.

"As cliché it may sound, thank you," Minato replied.

"That's good to hear." Toushiro turned around, making his way to the senkaimon. "Take care of yourself, Namikaze and don't worry too much of the past. It will come to you eventually."

Toushiro could feel Minato's staring at his back and wonders if Minato had the faintest idea of what he was talking about.

/-/

'_Promise me you'll watch over my son.'_

"_Why am I doing this again?"_ Toushiro thought as he made his way down Konoha after his first six days in the Shinobi Continent. He just went through the entire continent with ease purifying the lost souls. They didn't have that many souls that were lost than the previous years so his duty was really easy to do.

On the seventh day was the awaited day as the juuban tai taicho makes his way to see the son of the blond man he promised years ago. He snuck into Konoha easily as a spirit before going to the nearest alley and suited up in a gigai. He has always found the body annoying as it stiffens his movement and he has always felt as if he was being suffocated by it. Nevertheless, he exited the alley and began his long search, making his way around the village in search of Minato's son.

"_I hope the boy is all right…"_ Toushiro thought. He looks up the sky with a frown on his face. He knows for the fact that on the day the boy was born is also the day when the Kyuubi came to attack this village with the intent to destroy it. It was also the day he performed the konsoh on Minato and regrettably wiped the teen's memory clean.

His thoughts were interrupted when his eyes caught the person he's looking for.

There, on the third floor, staring out at the window is the child he's looking for (because heaven knows that there's only one blond that exist in Konoha with that shade of hair). The eyes on the blond only meant Naruto wasn't hailed as a hero Minato wanted his son to be. Toushiro was just about to step into the apartment complex until he paused. He thought for a moment as he remembered what he read from the book 'How to Blend in Human Society for Dummies' and recalled from a celebration section focused on birthdays.

He would need a…cake. Little kids like sweet pastries. He looked back up to Naruto before turning around, heading back to the bakery he just passed by not too long ago.

The things the captain will do…and the things people will never know.

/-/

"_For the day, please stay at home, Naruto,"_ Jii-san said, patting the boy's head lightly. That was all he said before leaving the boy alone for the rest of the day.

Naruto was bored. It didn't take an idiot to find that the child was bored as he sat on the edge of his bed, kicking his feet lightly and look out at the window. Today is day in which the Yondaime sacrificed himself to kill the Kyuubi.

Of course, today is also the day where people would walk down the street with flowers in their hands and tears fall down their face. Naruto wanted to know people are doing this on this particular day. He couldn't ask them, the villagers would always give him one look. The look they would give him is full of hate and loathing. Jii-san told him to stay home today because of some…special reasons.

'_Is it because it's my birthday?' _the boy thought. He frowned. Birthdays are supposed to be happy but he guessed his birthday isn't a happy one at all.

A knock on the door stopped the boy's trail of thoughts as he turned his attention to the door. He frowned. Jii-san said nobody would visit him in the day…curiously he got out of the mattress and cautiously made his way across the room and open the door slightly.

His first impression of the stranger was that his hair was the whitest hair he has ever seen. Well, that and the visitor is the shortest grandpa he has ever laid his eyes on. Don't get the boy wrong; the stranger is taller than he is…but shorter than Jii-san. Naruto also wonder how come the stranger didn't have wrinkles like Jii-san.

Don't people with white hair have wrinkles? On the stranger's right hand is a pink box with the bakery's logo on it. Naruto instantly recognize the stranger bought something from the best bakery known in Konoha.

"May I come in, Naruto?" the stranger asked and to Naruto's surprise, the stranger's voice is a lot younger than he has expected to be. His weary instincts kicked in telling him not to but after a couple minutes of debating and his curiosity overwhelming his instincts; he swung the door open for the stranger to come in with the box in hand. The stranger looked around for a moment, figuring out where he should put the box and frowning at the trash that was littered all over the place. Finally, the stranger places the box down on the table and threw the empty ramen cups into the trash can. Naruto just stared at the stranger.

"Who are you, Jii-san?" Naruto asked. A vein mark appeared on the stranger's forehead.

"Do I really look that old?" the stranger snaps. Naruto flinched at the tone and the stranger seem to have regretted it as the sharp teal eyes soften just a little with worry. "My apologies. I didn't mean to come out that serious; it's a force of habit. I'm not that old." Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Oh." A pause. "So who are you, Nii-san?"

"Hitsugaya Toushiro," Toushiro replied. "But you may call me Toushiro. It's a pleasure to see you."

"Why are you here?" Naruto asked again, this time a bit impatiently. His curiosity was getting the better of him. He wants to find out more of the teen stranger that appeared today. Why did the stranger appear today?

"A chibi like you shouldn't spend a birthday alone," Toushiro began as he unpacked the cake from the box. He brought out a strawberry cake and held it out to the blond, making the most sincere smile he can make. "So…Happy Birthday Uzumaki Naruto," Toushiro announced.

Naruto gapped. This was the first time somebody has ever said that to him (other than from Jii-san). The villagers look down at him with hate but the stranger never once did. Naruto knows for a fact the stranger just won over the boy's admiration.

"Is something the matter, Naruto?" Toushiro asked.

"I'm…I'm so happy," Naruto said, tears were on the verge of tears. "You're the first to say those words to me, Shiro-nii," The little boy furiously wiped the tears away, not wanting to look like a baby in front of the older boy.

Minato should be here, amnesic or not. He should be the one hugging the little boy. The father is unaware of his suffering and the son is suffering without anybody helping him.

Toushiro is aware of that loneliness all too well.

Once the Naruto was done drying his tears, Toushiro handed him a plate with a slice of strawberry cake.

"Would you like some cake right now, Naruto-kun?" Toushiro asked politely. The boy sniffed and nodded. Toushiro went over to cut a slice of cake for Naruto and for himself. They ate in silence with Naruto taking occasional glances at the other.

"Toushiro nii-san, are you a ninja?" Naruto asked.

"No, I'm just a traveler," Toushiro replied. That was technically not a lie; he did travel from Soul Society. "But I have a lot of connections and I guess I can relate to your life as well."

"How do you know about me?" Naruto asked, handing his empty plate to Toushiro, indicating he wants more. Toushiro couldn't help but admit it but the cake was delicious, even if he didn't really like to each sweets that much.

"There's a man I know here from Konoha, he has always wanted to meet you face-to-face," Toushiro began. "But he can't."

"Why?" Naruto asked, the boy was curious knowing whom the other person who would want to meet him.

"The man…he passed away," Toushiro replied. "His only wish is for you to be happy," Tears began to form under the blonde's eyes again. "Before he went away, he gave me this, so that I can give it to you when you're older." The teen shinigami pulled out from his back cargo jeans and held it out to Naruto. The blond instantly liked it in a blink of an eye. In Toushiro's hand is a tri-pointed kunai wrapped with some kind of seal on the handle. It looked bigger than an average kunai he has seen the ANBU shinobi would carry. "The blade is dull so you can't hurt yourself with it-"

Toushiro was tackle hugged down by the crying blond. He never had the time to move his plate away so the short shinigami could feel the cream and icing of the cake cling onto his shirt.

"Thank you so much, Toushiro nii-san," Naruto cried.

"There's no need for that, Naruto." This time, Toushiro waited for Naruto to cry himself to sleep.

An hour later, Toushiro left Naruto's room with a note and a flower made of ice in a shape of a tulip.

_The flower is special for the ice will never melt. This is my gift to you. Until the next time I see you, grow up strong and stay safe._

Somewhere in Soul Society, a blond is standing in the rain, crying for no reason at all.

/-/


End file.
